Robert L. Howard, one of America's most decorated soldiers. He served five tours in Vietnam and is the only soldier in our nation's history to be nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor three times for three separate actions within a thirteen month period. The first nomination was downgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross. The second nomination was downgraded to the Silver Star. The third nomination was downgraded to a 2nd Distinguished Service Cross but later upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
He received a direct appointment from Master Sergeant to 1st Lieutenant in 1969, and was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard M. Nixon at the White House in 1971. His other awards for valor include the Distinguished Service Cross - our nation's second highest award, the Silver Star - the third highest award, and numerous lesser decorations including eight Purple Hearts. He received his decorations for valor for actions while serving as an NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer).
Robert L. Howard grew up in Opelika, Alabama and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1956 at age seventeen. He retired as a full Colonel in 1992 after 36 years service. During Vietnam, he served in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and spent most of his five tours in the super-secret MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group) also known as Special Operations Group, which ran classified cross-border operations into Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam. These men carried out some of the most daring and dangerous missions ever conducted by the U.S. military. The understrength sixty-man recon company at Kontum in which he served was the Vietnam War's most highly decorated unit of its size with five Medals of Honor. It was for his actions while serving on a mission to rescue a fellow soldier in Cambodia, that he was submitted for the Medal of Honor the third time for his extraordinary heroism.
Robert L. Howard is said to be our nation's most decorated soldier from the Vietnam War. He was the last Vietnam Special Forces Medal of Honor recipient still on active duty when he retired on Sept. 29, 1992.
--
http://rlhtribute.com/
A List of his awards:
Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross (with one oak leaf cluster) (2 awards)
Silver Star
Legion of Merit (with three oak leaf clusters) (4 awards)
Bronze Star (with three oak leaf clusters and "V" device) (4 awards)
Purple Heart (with a silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters) (8 awards)
Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters) (3 awards)
Air Medal (with "V" Device and numeral 3. One award for heroism and two for aerial achievement)
Joint Service Commendation
Army Commendation Medal (with "V" device and one each silver and bronze oak leaf clusters. 4 awards for valor and 3 for achievement)
Joint Service Achievement
Army Achievement
Good Conduct Medal with four Good Conduct Loops (4 awards)
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with three service stars (3 awards)
Vietnam Service Medal with 3 service stars (3 campaigns)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
NCO Professional Development Ribbon with 2 device
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon
Unit Awards
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) with oak leaf cluster (2 awards)
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)
Navy Unit Commendation
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation with Palm (Unit citation)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation with Palm (Unit citation)
Foreign decorations
Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star (Corps citation), Silver Star (Division citation) and Bronze Star (Regiment/Brigade citation)
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st Class
Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal, 1st Class
Republic of Vietnam Wound Medal
Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal, 2nd Class
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960 bar
Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit (Sam-Il Medal)
Badges, qualifications and tabs
Ranger Tab
Special Forces Tab
Combat Infantryman Badge
Expert Infantryman's Badge
Aircrew Badge
Master Parachutist Badge
Pathfinder Badge
Air Assault Badge
Expert Marksmanship Badge
Vietnamese Ranger Badge
Vietnamese Master Parachute Badge
Thai Master Parachute Wings
Korean Master Parachute Badge
Thai Balloonist Badge
French Parachutist Badge
--Audie Murphy was great and all.. but i'm a Howard fan.
Bookmarks